Islamabad: Contrary to the government’s claim of having successful negotiations with Moscow regarding the discounted crude oil sale to Pakistan, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has claimed that Pakistan was not “pursuing or receiving discounted energy” from Russia.
Earlier this month, a high-level Pakistani delegation, led by Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik, held talks with Moscow in which the Pakistani delegation sought a 30-40% discount on Russian crude oil.
Later, when the delegation returned to Pakistan, Musadik Malik claimed that Russia had agreed to provide crude oil as well as petrol and diesel to Pakistan at discounted rates.
However, this claim was busted by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who denied such reports.
“We are facing an extremely difficult economic situation, inflation, pump prices. We do have energy insecurity and we are exploring various avenues to expand the areas where we can get energy from. Any energy we receive from Russia will take a long time for us to develop,” Bilawal said while speaking to an international news agency.
Asked if Pakistan could ally with the US and still do business with Russia and China, Bilawal said that as far as Pakistan’s relationship with China is concerned, the two neighboring countries have a long history.
Pakistan has a lot of cooperation with China, particularly on the economic front, he said, adding that Pakistan has a historical relationship with the US that stretches back to the 1950s. At the same time, he added, Pakistan has also had a historical relationship with the US that stretches back to the 1950s.
“We have partnered over the course of history and I believe whenever the United States and Pakistan have worked together, we have achieved great things. And whenever there’s been a distance developed between us then we’ve faltered.”
“I believe we are now heading in a positive direction with increased engagement on both sides. I think it’s more important, in a world that offers a multitude of challenges, for us to find areas in which we do on to work together. We are doing that on climate, health, we’re finding business and economic opportunities, particularly for women.”
